Adventures of a Jolly Roger
by Akagami'D
Summary: Roger knows that he will die. That was written in stone long ago. But before he goes, he wants to have the chance to meet his son. What Roger wants, Roger gets, no matter how impossible.
1. Prologue

Title: The Adventures of a Jolly Roger; Prologue  
>Characters: Gol D. Roger, Portgas D. Rogue<br>Pairing(s): Cannon, as in, implied Roger/Rogue  
>Warnings: Spoilers for Roger's death, Ace's birth, etc.<br>Setting: Baterillia, South Blue. (Rogue's hometown)  
>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece<p>

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><p>"You know what you're doing is dangerous." Rogue told her lover, Gol D. Roger.<p>

"Please Rogue. This damned disease has already cut my life short. I want to meet our child." His large, rough hands rested on her belly.

Rogue smacked them away. "You won't be able to feel him yet."

Roger grinned a Roger grin. "But that's where my baby is, inside of the most beautiful woman in all four Blues."

Rogue rolled her eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I'm not going to change my mind." Roger stubbornly crossed his arms.

Rogue sighed and activated the machine that Roger had built, based on a design that he claimed the Poneglyphs had told him about.

"Be safe, my love." She whispered as a grinning Roger disappeared in a veil of swirling, glittery water.


	2. Chapter Red

Title: Adventures of a Jolly Roger; Chapter Red  
>Characters: Roger, Shanks, various Red Haired Pirates<br>Pairing(s): None  
>Warnings: Akagami Shanks and Pirate King Roger meet. Beware the awesome.<br>Setting: One of Shanks' favorite winter islands  
>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece<p>

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><p>A winter wasteland greeted Gol D. Roger He shivered, snow whipping around him in the swirling winds.<p>

"What in Four Blues in my kid doing in this hell hole…I swear, if Garp put him here…"Roger grumbled under his breath, trudging towards a cave he had spotted through the snow drifts. "Stupid kid…"

"Captain!" Roger looked up. There were people here. People meant fire and, more importantly, food. Roger grinned and headed for the cave.

"Stay right there, stranger." A blond with a gun ordered when he had almost reached the entrance. Roger looked at him closely. Yep, this guy was a pirate.

"Parley."

"What?"

"I said, parley. Now take me to your captain." He ordered.

The blond didn't look happy, but he gestured for Roger to proceed into the cave, while he followed, his gun aimed at Roger's back.

"Yasopp, who is this?" A tall man with black hair and a cigarette in his mouth asked. He was a leader of the crew, but Roger could tell that he wasn't the captain.

"I demand to see your captain now."

"Who are you to give us orders? Do you know who we are?" Blondie snapped.

"No. Who are you?"

"We're the Red Haired Pirates, you know, crew of Akagami, one of the Four Emperors of the New World?"

Roger's smile grew. "That's all very nice, but do you know who I am?" A dangerous gleam entered his dark eyes. "I'm the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger."

"Beckman, is this guy for real? Gold Roger's been dead for almost twenty years." The blond snorted.

"Benn, Yasopp, what's going on?" A familiar voice called, over to the three pirates.

"Captain, some guy came in and claimed to be Gold Roger." Yasopp reported, yelling back.

"Oh? Did he now?"

The pirates who had been huddled in the cave, close to their fires for warmth now gathered around Roger, all wanting a look of the man their Captain would punish for imitating the Pirate King. They parted to let him through.

"Who are you really?" The captain asked, finally coming into Roger's view.

"Shanks!" Roger exclaimed in surprise. "You've gotten old."

Shanks' brown eyes widened. "Captain? Captain Roger?" The redhead cried. "But you're dead!"

Roger raised an eyebrow. "Is that any way to great your Captain, you little ginger brat?"

A smile broke out on Shanks' face, and he waved his crew back a distance so they could have a more private conversation.

"Captain Roger, it's good to see you again." Shanks held his arm out to grasp Roger's, but Roger would have none of it.

"C'mere brat." He took Shanks' arm and pulled him into a close hug. If he noticed the lack of another arm, he kept quiet. "Who's your crew?"

"You met Yasopp and Benn Beckman." The two met he had first met, who hadn't back off as far as most of the others, nodded at him. "And this is my treasure, my crew, the Red Haired Pirates."

Shanks' arm gestured to all of the men in the cave.

"Lucky, start a banquet." Shanks ordered. The fattest man Roger had ever seen nodded and slipped further into the cave, presumably to cook the said banquet.

"Tell me what's been happening since my death." Roger ordered his former cabin boy. Shanks and Beckman exchanged a glance.

"Captain, you know I'm glad to see you, but how are you here? I saw you die."

"I haven't died yet brat." Roger grinned. "You saw my death, but I haven't gotten to that point in my life yet. Weapons and history weren't the only secrets written down on those big-ass tablets we found."

"I don't think I understand Captain."

"The ancient civilization learned how to travel in time. Rogue helped me build their machine."

Shanks looked thoughtful. "I see."

"How is Rogue? And my son?" Roger asked, eyes and voice full of excitement.

"Rogue died."

"And my boy?"

"Garp kept his promise. Ace has been kept secret."

"Where is he?"

"East Blue, last I heard. He set out to become a pirate. He's made quite the name for himself as a rookie." Shanks reported.

Roger smiled. "That's my boy."

"He might not be what you're expecting if you are planning to meet him." Shanks warned.

"He's my son, no matter what he's like." Roger declared, proudly. "Have you met him?"

"Rumor says he's been seeking me out, but I haven't met him yet." The redhead's voice was soft. He knew his Captain had other things on his mind rather than his former apprentice.

"Shanks…" Roger loved his crew, and Shanks had been like a son to him, but he was on a mission.

Shanks smiled at him, a knowing look in his eyes. "I understand Captain. You were like a father to me, but now you need to be a father to your actual son."

"I…"

"Go, find Ace. Show him the Will of D."

Roger felt a fond warmth bubbling in his chest. Shanks had grown into a fine man indeed.

"And Captain, I owe you an apology."

"An apology?"

"I resented you for dying. I understand now." The Emperor held his hand out to his Captain, his first King. "I'm sorry for not understanding what you told me the night before you died, but you were right, and I understand now."

"You've grown up well Shanks. If I were your actual father, I would be proud."

"Captain…" Shanks' voice was rough.

"We'll meet again, I promise." Roger swore. "Then you can tell me how you lost your arm and my hat." Roger laughed, leaving his former apprentice and his men behind in their cave camp out.

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><p>TBC<p> 


	3. Chapter Blue

Title: Adventures of a Jolly Roger; Chapter Blue  
>Characters: Roger, Buggy, various Buggy Pirates<br>Pairing(s): Hints of Shanks/Buggy  
>Warnings: Buggy is warning enough I believe.<br>Setting: The Big Top  
>Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece<p>

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><p>Roger trudged through the snow, regretting that he hadn't thought to eat or borrow a coat while with the Red-Haired Pirates. Fortunately Shanks had had enough foresight to send one of his men out with a fur lined cape and boots, plus a knapsack full of food and the promise of a longboat from Shanks' ship. There was still the question of navigation, but Roger had no idea where his little Ace was anyway.<p>

"Excuse me!" A young man in an orange hat, bundled in several coats that didn't match, called to him. "I'm looking for Akagami Shanks. Can you tell me if he's on this island please?" The man, who was barely more than a boy asked politely.

"Keep going that way." Roger jerked his thumb backwards, towards his footprints. "There's a cave straight ahead. You can't miss it."

"Thank you sir!" The boy bowed to him, even though they were still at a bit of a distance.

Roger snorted. Apparently pirates in this day lacked spines. Shanks would have fun with this one.

Still, his freckles seemed familiar…

It wasn't long before Roger reached the _Red Force_, Shanks' ship. If Tom hadn't built this beauty, one of his apprentices surely did. The red dragon on the front was a nice touch in Roger's not-so-humble opinion.

But there wasn't time for admiring beautiful ships. Roger took one of the long boats and was on his way. It didn't take him long to reach a warmer climate and another ship.

"Hey you!" A man called from the brightly colored galleon. "Got any treasure?"

Roger grinned. "Lots of treasure."

"Bring him aboard." Another man ordered. "The Captain will see you."

"Correction," Roger told them as they pulled the rope and Roger on deck, "I will see your Captain."

"You have some nerve, saying flashy things like that." A figure hidden under the shadow of a canopy, seating on a throne growled.

"Trying to intimidate me, Buggy?" Roger's grin widened as he recognized his other former apprentice.

"Who dares address me so—Captain?" Buggy squeaked, his voice rising and his head popping off of his neck in shock.

Roger laughed. "I'll never get tired of watching you fall to pieces."

Buggy put himself back together with obviously thought, a frown on his face. One hand separated, though, and absently waved his crew away from his platform.

"Captain, how are you here? That damn flashy redhead and I watched your execution."

"I'll make sure to look for you when the time comes. I'm sure I'll be able to spot you by your nose."

"What'd you say about my nose?"

"Ha!" Roger laughed, stepped on the platform under the tent where Buggy was seated, pulled the boy up, sat on his throne-like seat and sat Buggy in his lap.

"I have to say, your Captain's chair is the most comfortable chair I've ever put my ass on." Roger grinned cheekily.

"…" Buggy stared at him.

"Stop looking at me like you've seen a ghost, boy!"

At the mention of the word ghost Buggy shot off of Roger's lap.

"Are you a ghost?" He shrieked, hands floating in the air, point at his former captain.

"How rude. Shanks was much more welcoming to his Captain." Roger pouted.

Buggy's age-weathered and already angry clown face contorted into an ugly grimace.

"You went to see him before me." Buggy stated, deceptively calm, but then his voice raised, becoming shrill with anger. "Typical. Shanks this, Shanks that! Shanks did some other damn thing! Shanks was always the perfect one! Why did you even bother coming to see me? I'm sure you'd rather be with your perfect, flashy Shanks!"

Roger was taken aback. "Hey now, Shanks was never more important than you. I didn't intentionally visit Shanks either."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth Roger knew they were a mistake. That was the wrong thing to say.

"…am I not important enough to visit?" The heartbreak in Buggy's voice could have been heard by a deaf man.

"Just because I didn't mean to run into you doesn't mean I didn't want to. My time here is limited."

"Are you a ghost?"

"No."

"But you died."

"I will die."

"You built the time travel device the polygraphs told you about." Buggy concluded, calming considerably, though he still looked thoughtful and Roger knew it wouldn't take much to set him off again.

"I did." He grinned at his apprentice.

"Why? You said there was a heavy price for it."

"To meet my son." Roger's carefree grin was gone, replaced by a more serious gaze.

"You've already met up with Shanks." Buggy grumbled.

"And you. You and Shanks are both sons to me. Our time together was brilliant, but now I need to meet the son I'll never be able to see. I have to die before he can be born." Roger explained gently. "Have you heard of a pirate called Ace?"

"Portgas D. Ace?" Buggy shrieked in surprise.

"You know him?"

"Only of him. He's a super famous rookie."

"It seems that all of my boys have done well for themselves." Roger felt his chest swell with pride. "I'm proud of you Buggy."

"Shut up." The clown grumbled, pink staining his cheeks. "You don't have to say nice things to make me feel better."

"I mean it. Shanks was always the idealist, but you, Buggy, you have your head screwed on straight. Shanks wouldn't be who he is now if it hadn't been for you. You kept his feet on the ground while his head was in the clouds. Shame you two are split up. Shakki always thought you two were a cute couple."

Buggy's face went the color of his nose, or Shanks' hair.

"We're better off apart…" He mumbled. "And he has that Beckman to keep him company."

"You mean the Rayleigh knock off he found?"

Buggy smirked. "Rayleigh didn't have that big a stick shoved so far up his ass."

"Go steal him back, you big nose." Roger laughed, recognizing Buggy's jealousy for what it was.

"What?" Buggy screamed making Roger laugh harder.

"Buggy, Buggy, Buggy…" He started, stroking his mustache. "You and Shanks are two parts of the same whole. You two should never be working against each other. You're better when you work together as a team. So go out, do something completely crazy, and get his attention."

Buggy gave him a long look, as if he were questioning his once Captain's sanity, but he was obviously considering his idea.

"Now," Roger stated, looking his most Captainly, " Take me to East Blue."

"Eh?"

"Captain's orders." Roger grinned, winking at the clown.

"Fine, fine. To East Blue..."


End file.
